First report of tenacibaculosis in wild-caught Pacific salmon

Understanding disease dynamics in wild fish populations is essential for effective conservation and fisheries management, yet diagnosing marine diseases in wild organisms is challenging. Tenacibaculosis, a bacterial disease caused by Tenacibaculum spp., is emblematic of this challenge, having been widely reported in farmed Atlantic ( Salmo salar) and Chinook ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) salmon, but never confirmed in any species of wild Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.). Here, we present the first report of tenacibaculosis in wild-caught Pacific salmon. During holding experiments conducted with Chinook salmon captured in Barkley Sound, Canada in 2022, we observed external lesions in 16 of 99 fish and associated high mortality. Through molecular screening, analysis of genetic sequences, and microscopic localisation of the infectious agents present, we identified Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi as the likely causative agent of tenacibaculosis in the fish with the most severe lesions.

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Journal
Scientific Reports
Published
2026-06-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-55640-4
Primary Topic
Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
Type
article
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article

First report of tenacibaculosis in wild-caught Pacific salmon

Sean C. Godwin, Kaleb N. R. Mantha-Rensi, Gideon Mordecai, Angela D. Schulze et al.
Scientific Reports
Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
article

First report of tenacibaculosis in wild-caught Pacific salmon

Sean C. Godwin, Kaleb N. R. Mantha-Rensi, Gideon Mordecai, Angela D. Schulze, Arthur L. Bass, Kristina M. Miller, Kaitlyn R. Zinn, Emiliano Di Cicco, William S. Bugg, Jonathan F. Archambault, Kayla A. J. Zielke, Shaorong Li, Andrew W. Bateman, Scott G. Hinch, Karia H. Kaukinen, Christoph M. Deeg, Stephen D. Johnston
article en

Abstract

Understanding disease dynamics in wild fish populations is essential for effective conservation and fisheries management, yet diagnosing marine diseases in wild organisms is challenging. Tenacibaculosis, a bacterial disease caused by Tenacibaculum spp., is emblematic of this challenge, having been widely reported in farmed Atlantic ( Salmo salar) and Chinook ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) salmon, but never confirmed in any species of wild Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.). Here, we present the first report of tenacibaculosis in wild-caught Pacific salmon. During holding experiments conducted with Chinook salmon captured in Barkley Sound, Canada in 2022, we observed external lesions in 16 of 99 fish and associated high mortality. Through molecular screening, analysis of genetic sequences, and microscopic localisation of the infectious agents present, we identified Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi as the likely causative agent of tenacibaculosis in the fish with the most severe lesions.

Scientific Reports
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (CA), Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (CA), University of British Columbia (CA), University of Toronto (CA), University of California, Davis (US)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 9%
Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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